West Hempstead Rams

WEST HEMPSTEAD

Staying healthy top priority for Rams

By TONY BELLISSIMO

The No. 1 wish for West Hempstead head coach Dom Carre this fall is a healthy roster. “It’s football, so you’re always going to get banged up with injuries,” Carre said. “Last year it never stopped We were missing guys all year and never really put our full team on the fi eld.” Despite a rash of injuries, the Rams still managed to split eight regular-season games and qualify for the Conference IV playoffs as the No. 5 seed. They lost at Cold Spring Harbor in the fi rst round. “If we want to go deeper in the playoffs, we need to stay healthy and answer some questions we’ve got on the line,” Carre said. West Hempstead is seeded 7th in the 14-team conference and opens under the Friday night lights at Seaford. The Rams also get Cold Spring Harbor and defending county and Long Island champion North Shore within a 3-week span in October. “I love the atmosphere at Seaford and playing a night game right off the bat,” Carre said. Senior fullback/linebacker Michael AbiAoun, who earned All-County honors last season, and senior quarterback Corey Pierre return to lead an offense that primarily relies on the ground attack. “I do think we’ll pass a little more with Corey’s experience,” Carre said. “He’s our catalyst and I can’t say enough about the kid. He started every game last season after being the JV starting quarterback in the spring season. He’s super athletic and can run as well as throw on the move. We’re looking for him to take the next step.” AbiAoun is a three-year starter and a physical throwback player Carre compares to former NFL bulldozer Mike Alstott, who’s a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Ring of Honor. AbiAoun and Pierre are West Hempstead’s fi rst captains in 12 years. “Michael has thick legs and is very tough to tackle,” Carre said. “He’s a leader that other kids gravitate towards. On defense he’s just a tackling machine. He moves well and loves contact.” AbiAoun has plenty of company in the backfi eld. Senior A’Lorenz Chapman is a quality rusher looking to build off his experience from the past two seasons, Carre explained. There’s also Jonathan Balthazard, a senior and an X-factor after missing all but one game last season. “Jon is very consistent and even-keeled,” the coach said. “He’s a patient ball-carrier. He waits for an opening to develop and he’s fast once he gets going.” Senior Jurrell Hall is a pure wide receiver with sure hands who also returns kickoffs and punts. “He runs crisp routes and he’s aggressive going up to get the ball,” Carre said. “We’re looking for him to be a bigger part of the offense so teams can’t stack the box against our running game.” Senior Brendan Close is an important two-way contributor at tight end and linebacker. He’ll add some blocking reinforcement to an inexperienced line and brings grit to both sides of the ball. Junior wideouts Gavin Lee and Niko Adikmemenakis are up from JV. A few spots on the offensive and defensive lines will be determined during camp. Senior Dan Clark is a solid two-way performer and the lone full-time starting returnee. Senior Giuseppe D’Agosto tops the depth chart at center, while senior Diego Quijada will look to parlay his hard work during the offseason into the starting tackle spot opposite Clark. Defensively, Carre is excited about the linebacker corps and secondary. “Those guys are all ball hawks and smart,” he said. AbiAoun, Balthazard, Close and senior Stephen Coppola lead the ‘backers, with Chapman and Hall shaping the secondary. Close is also an experienced punter. It’s an open competition for the kicking job.

during the offseason into the starting tackle spot opposite Clark. Defensively, Carre is excited about the linebacker corps and secondary. “Those guys are all ball hawks and smart,” he said. AbiAoun, Balthazard, Close and senior Stephen Coppola lead the ‘backers, with Chapman and Hall shaping the Close is also an experienced punter. It’s an open competition for the kicking job.

Michael AbiAoun

ALORENZ CHAPMAN JURREL HALL

Schedule

September 9 @ Seaford 6:00 p.m. 17 @ Oyster Bay 2:00 p.m. 24 Lawrence 2:00 p.m. 30 C.S. Harbor 6:30 p.m. October 8 @ Locust Valley 2:00 p.m. 15 North Shore 2:00 p.m. 21 @ Malverne 7:00 p.m 29 V.S. South 2:00 p.m.